Everything Old is New Again
by Zanmat0
Summary: Returning home for a peaceful retreat was a foolish notion from the start. As a new villain threatens to overwhelm the renewed Investigation Team, they find themselves turning to kindred spirits for help. [A rewrite of Into the Fray]
1. Redux

**Let me get one thing clear right off the bat. This will be a rewrite of Into the Fray. A remake, remaster, overhaul, whatever you like. The original story, especially the early chapters, were a mess of story, with a three-years-younger me trying to make too many different ideas work. I think, overall, it was good.**

 **I want it to be great.** **I hope you come along for the ride.**

 **Now, let's see if I can get this started off right.**

* * *

" _Shirogane speaking."_

"...Hi, Naoto."

" _Souji-kun! I apologize, my mind was somewhere else when I answered. Oh, and, um, hello."_

"Hmhm. Sounds like you're a little busy. Should I call back later?"

" _No, no, this is perfectly fine. I was just putting the finishing touches on some things. Is there any reason as to why you called?"_

"Well, I wanted to go over tomorrow's plan with you."

" _We've already gone over it, in detail, by email."_

Souji chuckled and moved the phone to his other hand, standing up from his desk and closing his laptop. He walked over to his apartment window and gazed out in the direction of the small town that changed everything. "Maybe I just wanted to hear your voice."

He heard a light laugh on the other line, closing his eyes and enjoying the rare sound. " _I would be remiss to pass up this opportunity, then…Talk to me."_

"I should be off the train by noon. You can call everyone to Junes, have it be a big surprise...or you can meet me at the train station. Have a little one-on-one time."

Souji smiled when there was a pause - was she blushing? Or maybe she was putting some serious consideration towards the latter. " _I think I'll stick to the plan...reluctantly, at least. I'm worried I'll just make a fool of myself if I see you alone."_

His pulse quickened as he swallowed, hesitant to ask the next question - even if he was sure of the answer. "You missed me that much?"

Another pause, but then, quietly, " _...Yes."_

Souji lowered his gaze from the window to hide the red in his cheeks at her honesty. No one was watching, but he still felt like she was watching him. " _It's the same for you, isn't it?"_

"Yeah. I really want to see you."

" _I'm going to try and get some sleep. Honestly, if I think about this anymore, I'll be up all night long…"_

"Good point. I'll let you go now, then."

" _Right. I'll...see you when I see you?"_

"Definitely. Good night, Naoto."

" _Good night, Souji-kun."_

Despite knowing the call was over, Souji kept the phone to his ear and listened to the dial tone, focusing on the sound such that even the regular bustle of the city seemed to die down. "...Sweet dreams."

He closed the device and let it dangle loosely in his hand. It was easy to hope that Inaba was just over the horizon, that he could run there if he really wanted to. Of course, this was not true, and it didn't make the wait any easier. He glanced at the duffel bag he had packed and ready to go, letting his gaze wander to the cabinet next to his bed. A picture taken some time ago stared back, proudly displaying him standing tall with his friends. Once again, lining up with many times gone by, his eyes fell on the young detective that stood happily with her present company.

He liked her smile. That was one of the little things he missed the most. Dwelling on that only made him more restless, the realization drawing a sigh out of him. "...I should get some rest."

* * *

 **My real concern is with fixing the earlier chapters. This overhaul will give me the chance to go over errors I wanted to fix, too. I guess I'm just hoping I make a bigger impression this time around...y'know, now that I have some idea of what the heck I'm doing.**

 **I hope you enjoyed. Till next time!**


	2. A New Contract

**Kind of a generic title, isn't it...I have my reasons, though. Two, in fact.**

 **...I'll explain them in more detail when it's time.**

* * *

 _...This is…_

Souji opened his eyes slowly, a familiar voice speaking softly as if worried he would wake up.

"It's been quite some time…"

When his sight focused, Souji smiled instinctively. The deep blues of the car he was now sitting in seemed to welcome him. "Welcome to the Velvet Room."

"Er…"

"Do not be alarmed. You are fast asleep in the real world...I have summoned you within your dreams."

Content with the explanation, Souji pretended to yawn and shook his head, turning his head up to look at Igor and smile coyly. "Igor, we must stop meeting like this, people will start to talk."

Igor's natural grin stretched just a bit wider as he opened his arms welcomingly. "My apologies. I thought it best to inform you of this sooner, rather than later."

Souji lazily scanned the interior of the vehicle he had visited countless times two years ago. Everything looked about the same, even the inhabitants. Speaking of which…"Hi, Margaret."

The attendant met his gaze with piercing golden eyes. Souji thought he saw a tiny smile show itself before she bowed her head politely. "It is good to see you again."

"Likewise. You look like you could use some sun, though."

Igor chuckled when Margaret tilted her head in confusion. "Where's Marie?"

"Marie has found a life outside the confines of this Room. Fitting, isn't it? She never quite belonged here in the first place, no?"

"Is she still working as Mariko Kusumi?"

Margaret simply nodded but attempted to put the conversation back on track. "Regardless of Marie's occupation, we have called you here for a very important reason."

Igor clasped his hands together and nodded in turn, his grin never faltering as he spoke again. "A new calamity is descending upon you. Put simply, you will need to forge a contract to face it. Just as before your friends, family, those close to you...they are what will allow you to endure what will most certainly be a trying time."

"And here I thought the 'trying times' were over."

"Such is the life of a Wild Card. Fear not, as we will be here to assist you on your path, as always."

"Is that so? I'm grateful."

Margaret flipped open the Persona Compendium and angled it such that the pages displayed a veritable number of Personas - one that Souji still welcomed in his heart. "The strength of your Social Links have maintained the strength of the many Personas you previously recorded. If you are in need of any of them, do not hesitate to ask."

"Do you still have my Skill Cards?"

Igor answered after a chuckle, apparently amused by something known only to him. "Marie...insisted on keeping them. Should you meet with her, I am certain that she would not hesitate to return them to you."

"Sounds good."

"I take it that you agree to the terms, then?"

"Indeed I do!"

Igor's grin stretched ever wider. "Marvelous. In that case-"

 _Now arriving at...Yasoinaba...Now arriving at...Yasoinaba…_

"...Crap."

Souji could already feel reality pulling him out of the Room, the last words he heard being ones of reassurance. "Hmhmhm...worry not. We will discuss this at another time."

[- Inaba_Naoto's Apartment -]

 _10:07am - Out of Range_

Naoto adjusted her tie for what may very well have been the eighth time that morning, worriedly leaning left and right before the mirror she was standing in front of. She winced when the movement prompted a groan from her couch. "Naoto-kun, what is up with you today? If you keep messing with that, it's gonna ruin the fabric."

"I know. I'm...just nervous, that's all."

"About what? Meeting everyone at Junes? You see them almost every day anyway while you're in town."

Naoto said nothing in reply, mostly because Rise was totally right. That same action only encouraged the idol to pry further. "Is something wrong?...Is your grandpa coming to visit again?"

"No! No, no, no."

The last time Minoru Shirogane has graced the Investigation Team with his presence, it had ended in a guiltily-yet-fondly-remembered disaster. If only Souji had been there to witness it... "Then, what's the problem? You're worrying me."

"It's, er, complicated."

"How so?"

If Rise carried on like this, it would only serve to stress her out. Following that, Rise being stressed out tended to stress Naoto out, mostly because she would simply go into detail about the cause. The detective figured perhaps it was best to solve the dilemma before it spiraled out of control. "Rise-chan, listen to me."

"What? Oh, sure."

"...Souji-kun's due to return today."

"...Senpai?"

That wasn't exactly the reaction Naoto was expecting. She quickly tugged her tie downwards to straighten it and turned to face her friend - an action she was quickly going to regret if the dopey grin on her face was any indication. "Now it all makes sense."

"Huh?"

"No wonder you've been so giddy all this morning! Why didn't you tell me your dear boy toy Senpai was coming home?"

While she blushed at the way Rise described her partner, Naoto managed to keep her tone level, composed. "Technically, I just did-"

"Never mind. Why didn't you tell anyone?"

"It was meant to be a surprise." Naoto held up a hand for silence, knowing by experience that Rise wanted to know more. "It wasn't my idea. You know how Sen-...how Souji-kun can be."

"Well, when's he getting here? Are we gonna go pick him up? Is that why you told me? Naoto-kun, I need details!"

The detective sighed and picked up a brush to quickly fix her hair, the length of which now reached just past her shoulders. "He will meet us at Junes. We only need to make sure that everyone arrives before _he_ does."

"Hoo boy. Now I'm all excited. Aw, but I suck at keeping secrets."

"Then I suppose it's good that I told you the day of, rather than before. Give yourself some credit, Rise-chan. I trust you with a lot, you know?"

That made the idol feel a little better. She hopped over the back of the couch despite warning during previous visits not to do so and turned Naoto around, dusting imaginary dirt off her dress shirt and checking that her sleeves were rolled up properly. "Sharp, as always. Can we go now?"

Naoto considered the offer, adjusted her tie for the tenth and final time, then nodded with a subtle smile. "We can."

Rise beamed and grabbed her hand, dragging her towards the front door with a cheer at how much brighter the day seemed to be. Naoto barely managed to grab her house keys and phone off the cabinet near the door before she was led out of her apartment by a very insistent idol.

[- Inaba_Station -]

 _11:56am - Out of Range_

Souji felt the haze of sleep leave his mind as soon as he stepped off the train, a light breeze sweeping past him as if to clear his path of fallen leaves. He lazily took in the sight of the oddly abandoned station, memories of meetings past flitting through his mind. _I guess Uncle and Nanako aren't here to greet me, though…well, that's a given._

"I was waiting."

Souji was snapped out of his stupor by the familiar voice, though some part of his mind mused that it was one he had heard quite recently. He looked up to see Margaret, her deep blue clothes standing out strongly against the background of comparatively duller colors. Contrary to her words, Margaret didn't look annoyed at all. Rather, she was looking around with a curiosity that could only be chalked up to having just arrived. "So it seems. Welcome to Inaba."

"Was that a joke?"

Souji chuckled and adjusted the duffel on his shoulder. "It was."

"I see…" She seemed to ponder this and, after a moment, nodded. "It was funny."

Souji smiled at the attempt, tilting his head curiously as she seemed to fish a box out of nowhere. "I retrieved this for you from Marie. Your Skill Cards."

"She didn't want to see me?"

"Well-"

"MARGARET!"

As if on cue, Marie - or rather, Mariko Kusumi - darted around the corner of the parking lot exit, a can of soda clutched so fiercely in her hand that Souji worried that the poor metal would yield and burst. That would have been terrible. As she skidded to a stop in front of them, she tripped on the curb and would have fallen if Souji wasn't there to catch her by the arm and carefully help her to her feet. "Hi, Marie. The reporter look suits you."

The goddess-turned-forecaster looked down at her feet to make sure her balance was proper, then turned her gaze up to Souji's face. Two years had passed, but he still looked as...Souji as ever. A smile was on her face before she forced it into an unconvincing scowl and averted her gaze. "...About time you got here."

The twinkle in Souji's eye said plainly enough that he noticed her slip-up as he chirped without a care in the world, "It's good to see you, too."

"Idiot."

She seemed to regret the insult as she fidgeted about for a moment, something Margaret seemed to find amusing with a barely audible snicker. As if remembering something, Marie straightened up suddenly, adjusting her glasses in a business-like manner and gesturing towards the sky. "Right, um...do you like the weather? I adjusted it kinda quickly when Margaret told me you were here, so it might still be a little chilly."

"You changed the weather for me?"

Flattering was one way to describe the act. Souji wasn't sure how to show his appreciation for something that probably messed with more than a few people's preparations for the day, but…"Thanks. Seems you're really enjoying your job."

Marie smiled happily and nodded, simply content that she had managed to make his day a little bit better. Her eyes lit up as she remembered what was in her hand, whirling around to face Margaret with almost divine fury. "And you! Why'd you make me get you a soda five minutes before the train arrived?!"

"I wanted to tease you."

Marie snorted and tossed the can, Margaret balanced it deftly on the case of Skill Cards, plucking it up with her free hand and tossing the box to Marie. Souji watched the theatrics with a brimming curiosity. "So when you said you 'retrieved' my Cards…"

"It was a prank, yes."

Marie turned her back on the two. The way she was muttering random skill names, it sounded like she was trying to make sure nothing was lost. "...I handled it with care."

"Sure you did."

Margaret smiled at this and turned her head to nod at Souji. "I will do my best not to intervene again unless absolutely necessary. We await you in the Velvet Room."

"I'll drop by later. Thanks again."

The attendant offered a ghostly smile and walked away silently despite the heels she was wearing. Souji knew if he tried to follow her he would simply find a dead end. "Well, that was fun."

Marie closed the case and tucked it under her arm securely before giving Souji an odd look. "I see you're as odd as ever."

"And proud of it. Hey, wanna come with me to Junes? I'm meeting everyone there."

"Sure. I wanted to get out of the office anyway."

"Work will be fine without you?"

"Yep. Made sure of it."

"Yeah? Alright, then."

As Marie hailed a cab, Souji fished his phone out of his pocket and typed out a quick message. _I'm on the way. Ran into Marie, so I'm bringing her along with me._

As he had come to expect from Naoto, the reply was quick, but...endearingly blunt. _UNDERSTOOD. WAITING AT JUNES W RISE._

 **Souji:** _Where's Yosuke and Teddie?_

 **Naoto:** _CUSTOMER SERVICE._

 **Souji:** _Yukiko and Chie?_

 **Naoto:** _ARRIVING NOW._

 **Souji:** _...Kanji?_

 **Naoto:** _...LATE._

 **Souji:** _Thanks. I'll be there soon._

 **Naoto:** _HURRY PLZ._

Souji chuckled and stowed his phone away just as a cab stopped lazily in front of them. Marie got in first and insisted on helping Souji with his bag. The teen made to follow, but stopped and rested an arm on the roof of the car, gazing at the view of the city from farther away. His sight drifted to his watch.

 _12:06pm - Out of Range_

With a smile, he nodded to himself and hopped in before the driver got impatient.

* * *

 **Y'know, listening to random Persona music to pump yourself up tends to be quite the trip. I never really got into Ultimax's main theme, but I gave it another listen today...eesh. It's really good, haha! The instruments in the background during the chorus really make it for me. Break Out Of, indeed.**

 **On a more serious note, I could've extended this all the way to the Junes visit and onwards, but I felt this was a decent place to end the chapter. I want to take my time with this, put more care into the quality of the plot. If this falls apart, I guess I'll look silly, so I'll do my best to make sure that doesn't become the case.**

 **Hope you enjoyed the chapter. As Dante would say, next comes the heartwarming family reunion. Just with less violence and more fluff.**


	3. Old Places & Familiar Faces

**...This took a shamefully long time to complete. Motivation really does come** _ **after**_ **you start working...sometimes, at least. How I wish I could continue that streak I had going a few weeks ago…**

 **Anyway. The ball really starts rolling from here onwards. Want to give a special thank you to my friend Unchained Silence for chatting with me as I worked on this.**

 **In other news...in all my writings, I always imagined Naoto's Inaba apartment being second floor, last door. I don't know why. Why did I tell you this? Well, you'll see.**

 **Enjoy the chapter. Er, hopefully. I finished this chapter in a sort of fever pitch, so point out errors if there are any.**

* * *

 **[-** Junes_Afternoon -]

"Here. Now stop yappin' at me for being late."

Kanji unceremoniously set the basket of croquettes down in the middle of the roundtable the former Investigation Team had occupied, having needed to pull a few extra chairs from other unused spots to make sure everyone had a seat. Naoto quietly procured another chair but kept it off to the side to avoid unnecessary questions. When Rise shot her a knowing look, she simply made a shushing motion and plucked up one of the smaller croquettes for herself. As she bit into it and savored the renowned taste of Souzai Daigaku, she glanced at her watch.

"Do you want some tea, Naoto-kun?"

The detective snapped out of her stupor to see Yukiko offering her a cup and holding a thermos filled with the aforementioned tea. The older girl had an easy smile on her face as she patiently held the vessel aloft. "Ah. Yes, please."

The Amagi Inn heir happily fulfilled the request, making small talk as she did so. "It's not often you call us for a meeting. Is something the matter?"

Naoto bowed her head in thanks and took a quick sip to wet her throat. "I suppose my last case made me a little homesick."

"Oh? You did have to leave town for a little longer than usual."

"Yes. Either way, I'm just happy everything was resolved properly."

"Really? I'm glad, then."

The two smiled at each other and raised a small toast. They quietly watched as Yosuke set down a veritable case of sushi from the more expensive selections at Junes, proudly proclaiming that he had been hiding money from Teddie just for an occasion such as this. Of course, upon hearing this, the boy within the bear suit burst out in a blast of smoke - it was an often enough occurrence that no one nearby paid him any mind. "That means this sushi belongs to me! By birthright!"

There was a collective miasma of confusion around the group as they regarded Teddie. Finally, Yosuke asked what they were all thinking. "The hell are you on about?"

Naoto zoned out when Teddie's explanation dabbled into the territory of 'dibs', staring down into the depths of her drink as the surrounding chatter blurred. _Where is he…? Should I text him again?_

Her hand moved to her pocket before she willed it to stop, bringing it back up to rest on the side of her cup. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath, hoping it looked like she was taking in the aroma of the tea rather than worrying about what was taking Souji so long. Rise smiled sympathetically at her and patted her shoulder, sliding the box of croquettes out of the reach of Teddie and Yosuke's odd little argument. "Here, have another. This is probably going to be our brunch if Teddie gets his way."

Naoto chuckled and picked up another smaller one, leaning back in her chair to make Yukiko pouring tea for the idol a bit easier. "If so, I wouldn't mind a trip to Aiya. Would you like to come with me?"

She had posed the question loudly enough for both her friends to hear and, as such, were invited. Yukiko beamed happily and set down the thermos. "Can Chie come too? Ooh! It can be a girls only thing!"

The way she asked that made Naoto muse about how long she had been waiting to use that. She smiled gently at the thought and nodded. "Of course."

She rushed off to find her fellow college student, leaving Naoto and Rise alone once again. Kanji had taken up a spot on the other side of the table, quietly knitting something that looked like an indiscernible piece of clothing. He had nodded to the two in greeting and refocused - an oddity, but perhaps not, given that he had dedicated himself even more intensely to Tatsumi Textiles on the eve of his last year of high school. Despite everything, the group was still largely the same, and closer than ever - even as they slowly made their way down different paths. Naoto felt herself smile again before she bit into the croquette. "I wonder where Senpai is."

Naoto chewed thoughtfully and shrugged. "I'm doing my best to content myself with the fact that he'll get here when he gets here."

Rise giggled when Naoto glanced at her watch once more. "Looks to me like you're having trouble with that."

The poor detective sighed and turned her gaze to the sky. "...Maybe."

"Hurry up! We're already late!"

"It's only-"

"I know what time it is!"

The two looked abruptly to the food court entrance, a silence falling as a pair of very familiar yet poorly hushed voices drew closer. Even Teddie, cheeks stuffed with spicy tuna, froze. "Haha, keep it down! It's supposed to be a surprise."

"I'm super quiet! You're the one who's - oh."

Souji and Marie were too distracted by their conversation as they stumbled into the food court to notice that they had long since been seen. As such, Souji's carefully laid plan of his return being a genuine surprise crumbled in a manner both abrupt yet predictable. Of course, it could not have gone any other way. The teen seemed to realize this, giving Marie a look before she crossed her arms and looked away. "Well, it's not _all_ my fault."

"Uh-huh."

Souji hummed softly and looked back at the group, only to find that someone had silently risen and moved closer. The look in her eye was almost one of disbelief, though Souji suspected he wasn't doing much better. The sounds of the passerby and the Junes jingle melted away, as if the world itself was slowing down to give the two time to process. The words that tumbled out of Souji's mouth were succinct, simple...and thoroughly indicative of what was going through his head, or the lack thereof. "Er...hey."

"Hi, Souji-kun."

He chuckled awkwardly and tried to think of what to do next - the gears in his mind stalled and ground to a slow stop as viable answers left him in the dust. When it looked like things were going nowhere, Marie groaned, giving a quick wave of her hand toward the air. A sudden gust of wind pushed Naoto forward and, rather clumsily, into Souji's arms. He clearly wasn't expecting the move either, sharing a bewildered look with Naoto before Marie stalked over to the table the group had taken and grabbed one of the last croquettes. "You're welcome."

Subtle as it was not, the move did break the ice. Souji looked down at Naoto and adjusted his arms around her into a proper hug, holding her close as if afraid she wasn't there. He felt a lump in his throat form, his hands almost tightening into fists as he squeezed his eyes shut and choked out a weak, "...I'm back."

Naoto smiled, pressing her cheek into his shirt and holding him tight, an indescribable warm feeling welling up inside her as she replied with a simple, "Welcome back."

He took a short step back to hold her at arm's length and take in her appearance again. Naoto did the same, giving an embarrassed little laugh as they caught themselves. "I missed you."

"Back at ya."

Souji smiled and planted a quick kiss on her forehead, now fully aware of the cheeky stares from his other friends. He expertly hid his embarrassment by beckoning them over and putting on a cocky grin. "Hey, I'm still catching my breath. If you wanna get in on this, you have to come over here."

The gentle jab was enough to dissolve any remaining tension that Souji had somehow assumed the personality of a spoiled city boy. The group of friends jumped up from their seats and swarmed around the duo, dishing out an array of hugs, high-fives, back slaps, and cheers all around. Souji, of course, was the center of attention, dragged along with Marie into the resulting din.

[- Souji: Oh, right, I forgot…

Chie: What do you mean?

Souji: I had some stuff for you all shipped to Uncle's place. Guess I'll pick them up later.

Teddie: Oh! Ooh, are you cooking tonight?!

Souji: Not tonight. It's a good idea, though.

Yosuke: ...Teddie, stop drooling on the table.

Kanji: Just make him wipe it down later, dude. -]

"You don't have any luggage?"

"Hm?...Oh. Well…"

Souji looked away and scratched his cheek sheepishly - an oddity, given that he was being asked about something as innocent as whether or not he had a _bag_. The only clue given was the guilty look he shot towards Marie. The forecaster shrugged and gestured in the general direction of the Dojima Residence. "Don't worry about it."

"O-kay."

Souji smiled to himself and balanced a water bottle in his palm - the fight for the best bits of sushi had ended only minutes ago. He let his thoughts drift as some semblance of calm returned to the group; as soon as they did, however, he remembered Igor's words.

 _A new calamity is descending upon you._

The plastic of the bottle in his hand made a noise of protest as he unconsciously squeezed it. His thumb drifted along the brightly colored label as he called out. "...Hey, Yosuke."

"Yeah?"

"I need to talk to you later." Souji glanced around before quietly adding, "Privately."

The discretion in his tone was enough to convince Yosuke that something was wrong, so he found no reason to disagree. His headphones jangled silently from their spot around his neck as he nodded. "Yeah, sure. How about we have a video call after this all wraps up?"

Souji bobbed his head in thanks and turned to Naoto, sitting as close to him as she could without bumping her chair against his own. "I'd appreciate if you joined, too. Would you mind?"

"Of course."

Souji reached down and gently squeezed her hand in thanks, turning his gaze upward to look for his two favorite scouts. Before he could think about calling them, Naoto's hand tightened around his own as if telling him to stop. When he gave her a questioning look, she smiled softly. "We're trying to be subtle about this?"

Her logic was sound. Souji smiled back in agreement and sat back down. "I guess so. Got a little ahead of myself there."

"That tends to happen. Don't worry, I'll text them later."

"Sorry."

Naoto chuckled lightly and shook her head, then scooted her chair just a bit closer to lean against his arm. Souji looked down to their still-linked hands and quietly savored the long-absent feeling. "How long will you be staying?"

"Eh, the foreseeable future. I'm on hiatus from college for a bit."

"Taking a break?"

"Something like that. Didn't want to burn out. Also, I think you'd agree that two years is a bit much for me not to visit."

"Perhaps. Not aloud, though."

Souji laughed softly so as not to jostle her and nodded in agreement. "Of course not."

He looked down at her and drank some water as quietly as he could. One could assume it was because he was gathering the courage for what came next. "About your hair…"

"Oh?"

"I'm at a loss for words."

"Is that so?...In a good or bad way?"

"It's a good look for you. Doesn't look like it gets in the way of work, either. Practical, stylish, as usual."

"...These 'lost' words flow quite easily out of you, hm?"

Despite herself, Naoto felt her face redden a bit as she reached up to play with her bangs. It was unlike her, but felt normal at the same time. One of the many little habits she had developed over time, try as she might to avoid it. "Thank you."

Souji simply smiled and kissed her hair.

[- Yukiko: How's college treating you, Souji-kun?

Souji: Can't complain. Did you need help with anything?

Yukiko: I'm okay. Chie, though! You should see her! She always has her nose buried in whatever books Naoto-kun sends her way.

Chie: ...I was studying. -]

Souji waved to his friends as they dispersed for the evening, giving Yosuke, Teddie, and Rise a meaningful look as he bade them farewell. He leaned lazily on the wall surrounding the food court as Naoto joined him. "A yen for your plan?"

Souji drummed his fingers on the handrail as he pondered what to do next. Nanako, in a similar vein to Naoto, had insisted on keeping in contact with him during the long period he was out of town, sending weekly updates with startling consistency. Unfortunately, the latest was that she and Dojima were still out of town on what his uncle had described as a much-needed vacation.

Souji had given back his key when he last left Inaba, so staying at the Dojima Residence was not currently an option. _Well...I could ask…_

He glanced at Naoto and noticed that he had kept her hanging for an answer. "Sorry. Uh…"

 _...I'll figure something out._ "Well…"

"Yes?"

Naoto's eyes were bright, a smile clear on her face as she watched Souji with undivided interest. He returned the expression and felt the hesitation plaguing his mind melt away. "...You wanna go somewhere?"

"I'd love to."

[- Shopping District_Evening -]

"Thanks for coming! Ah, and welcome back, Souji-kun."

Aika smiled when both Souji and Naoto turned and, whether on purpose or not, bowed respectfully at the same time. She offered a little wave and ducked back into Aiya, ever eager to serve even the latest customers. Souji rolled his shoulders and hummed happily, something Naoto couldn't help but giggle at. "It's been quite a while since your fill of Aiya's food, no?"

"You got that right! I feel rejuvenated."

"I'm glad our humble town still has its perks."

They had started walking in the direction of Naoto's apartment as naturally as they had done years before, fumbling around with the prospect of public dates. Now the route, steeped in nostalgia, came as easily as any other. "'Our' humble town? Have you been domesticated, Detective?"

"Surely you jest."

"Me? I wouldn't dare!"

"I should hope so. My skills are sharper than ever, so I'll know if you're lying."

"I'll be careful."

"See that you do."

Naoto broke first, breaking out in a happy smile as she playfully pushed Souji's shoulder. He was fighting to suppress his own snickering, but soon gave in and joined her in her laughter. When they managed to calm down, Naoto slipped her hands into her pockets at a sudden chill and looked at Souji once more. She could see the roof of her apartment complex looming around the corner, so it felt like a good time to ask, "Will you be going to the Dojima's?"

"I would, if I had my key. Uncle and Nanako are still out of town, so...maybe I'll bunk with Yosuke for the night."

"...There's no need for that."

"Hm?"

Naoto shook her head exasperatedly and raised a hand to her humble abode. "You're more than welcome to stay with me."

Souji seemed taken aback by the offer, something Naoto found most puzzling. When he finally spoke up seconds later, it was in a stutter. "I don't-...I-I mean, you don't have to-...I can stay at a...hotel?"

He looked up at the sky in defeat and found that the stars were twinkling merrily, possibly at the prospect that the normally composed teen was finally at a loss for words. Naoto, judging purely by the tone of her voice, was enjoying this immensely. "I thought our dynamic was that I was the shy one."

"I-"

Souji stopped himself before he dug his grave any deeper and settled for a polite nod. "...If you'll have me."

"Very well! Let's head inside then, it's quite cold out."

They headed up the steps and to the last door on the floor as Souji mumbled something under his breath. "Hmm, I'll have to get my bag from Uncle's sometime - huh?"

His mutterings were interrupted by Naoto patting his back gently and pointing to her doorway. As soon as Souji followed her direction, he sputtered in surprise. "What the-"

Surely, it was an act of the divine! There was Souji's bag, sitting pretty right next to the apartment entrance. Souji felt his face heat annoyingly as he quickly looked to Naoto in an attempt to defend himself. "I swear that wasn't me."

"I see."

The smug look Naoto was wearing as she met his gaze said enough about what she actually thought. "I'm serious! Marie said she'd drop it off where I was...staying...oh."

"Our resident goddess seems to have thought two steps ahead."

She grinned cheekily at him and nudged him with her elbow as she chirped, "Or perhaps you've just missed me. Maybe this was just a cute little ploy to get me to let you spend the night."

Souji looked away sheepishly and muttered something under his breath. Naoto, of course, heard it, her smile growing as she mercifully decided to open the door. "Sorry for intruding."

"Oh, you."

Souji managed to get Naoto to enter first on the excuse that he needed to haul his things in after him. "Now may be a good time for that video call."

"Alright. Let me just find my laptop..."

Souji set his bag down, sat on the couch and made to do so before Naoto interrupted him with an upraised hand. "Here." She plucked her tablet off her desk and passed it to Souji. "This boots faster."

"Thanks."

"I'm going to make some tea. Would you like some?"

"Yes, thank you."

Souji didn't expect anything particularly cheesy like the screensaver being sappy photo or anything along those lines, but her user icon was noteworthy. He felt a dopey smile tug at his mouth upon recognizing the photo they had taken at an Okina photo booth a while ago. The wallpaper was of a dark cityscape, one that brightened as if by daylight when he unlocked the tablet. _Fancy._

Before he could start a call, he received an invitation from Rise. "Right on time."

A button press later, and the ball was rolling. " _Heya, Senpai! Naoto-kun. Wait, where is she?"_

"Making tea."

"Not right now." Naoto leaned over the back of the couch so the camera could catch her. "Hello, Rise-chan."

" _Naoto-kun!"_

"Be right back."

The aforementioned detective pushed herself off her armrest and headed back into the kitchen to make sure nothing was burning down. Souji chuckled as Rise wailed dramatically. " _She hates me~."_

Souji sent out an invite to Yosuke and smiled at the idol. "She's making tea, Rise."

" _Oh."_

"Yeah."

" _...She likes tea better than me~."_

"Somehow I doubt that."

Yosuke joined, bringing both him and Teddie into the call. " _Hey, ladies. Souji."_

"...Hey."

" _...Why do you sound offended?"_

" _Howdy, Sensei! Oh, and Rise-chan's here, too!"_

Souji heard the sound of a kettle whistling. "Naoto'll be here in a sec. I guess…"

He blew out a breath and tapped his fingers on his knee as he pondered how to begin. "Well, let's start with the basics. Has anything weird happened in the TV world lately?"

It was an open question, but pointed more directly towards Teddie. The bear-boy threw open the head of his suit and leaned on the border of it, a finger pressed to his forehead in thought. " _Hrmm. Nothing out of the ordinary. I patrolled the usual spots last weekend...nothing new. Even the shadows haven't been very uppity lately."_

"The paranoid part of me would say that very inactivity should be a subject of concern…"

Naoto carefully passed Souji a cup and sat down next to him. "Maybe I'm overthinking it."

"We should investigate this further. Quietly, if possible."

When it looked like Rise was going to argue, if the furrow of her brow was any indication, he quickly raised a hand to give himself time to explain. "Surface level only. If the place looks fine, we high-five, leave, go about our business. If it doesn't, well, we bail out, let everyone know, and approach this properly."

Rise crossed her arms and looked up at the ceiling. Souji could only guess that she had something up there worth looking at. Naoto simply leaned against him and sipped her tea. " _I still don't like the part where we don't tell anyone."_

Yosuke shrugged. " _Can't be helped. He has a point; Ted hasn't seen anything and it could really be that everything's just fine in there."_

The idol simply grumbled and turned her nose to the ceiling. "It'll be fine, Rise." _Hopefully._ "I'm counting on you to watch over us."

" _Alright, alright. Of course I'll help. One condition, though!"_

"Sure."

" _You have to - wait. Senpai,_ two _conditions!"_

"Sure."

" _First off, I want cake."_

"Sure."

Naoto sputtered, scarcely holding back a giggle at how Souji's one word answers were becoming progressively more deadpan. "You're awful, Souji-kun."

"Am I?"

" _SECOND,_ you _have to tell everyone how the excursion goes."_

"If all goes well, yeah. Tomorrow."

" _Tomorrow?"_

"Tomorrow."

" _It's settled, then. I'll mail you a list of Junes cakes later, partner."_

"Much appreciated."

" _Hrmmm, now I feel like raiding the Junes freezer for some-"_

" _I already told you no!"_

Souji smiled at the argument about to unfold and shook his head. "We'll see you all tomorrow, then."

" _G'night, Senpai, Naoto-kun. I kinda wanna see how this plays out."_

"You do that. Good night, Rise."

"Good night, Rise-chan."

Naoto reached over Souji's hand before he could end the call and did so herself, flashing Souji a brief, but undeniably triumphant little smile. "Guess you weren't kidding about staying sharp."

"You got that right."

She pushed herself off of the couch and picked up their empty cups. "I'm going to wash these, then we should probably get ready for bed."

"Right."

[- - -]

"Souji, I've taken my shower, you can-...Souji?"

Naoto carefully dried her hair as she wandered into the living room clad in her usual sleepwear, save for the Featherman shirt she kept for special occasions. The look on his face she was expecting when he woke up was cause enough for her to dust it off. She spotted him easily enough; he was, after all, sitting where she had left him. "Oh."

Souji had nodded off! His arms were crossed, head resting against the cushions - Naoto deduced that his falling asleep was not entirely intentional. A bit of red dusted her cheeks as she pondered. _...I wasn't gone that long, was I?_

Naoto smiled regardless and ambled to her closet in search of a throw blanket. When she returned, Souji's head was lolling against his chest, towel and all, still napping away without a care in the world. "...Sheesh."

She unfurled the blanket over him and made sure that it wasn't covering his face before wandering quietly around the apartment, making sure doors were locked, lights were off, and an air of peace was generally present. Satisfied that it was, she walked back to the couch and considered her partner. After a moment of doing so and no small amount of embarrassment, Naoto carefully shuffled under the blanket and smoothed it out over the two of them. Following a glance at Souji, she rested her head against his shoulder, letting out a soft sigh of contentment at the familiar feeling that blossomed in her chest. Falling asleep sitting on a couch and nestled against him wasn't necessarily ideal, but, at that moment, Naoto wouldn't have it any other way. She felt Souji shift a bit next to her, his hair falling slightly over his eyes as he remained, thankfully, asleep. Perhaps she was imagining it, but she thought she could feel his shoulders relax just a bit more. The thought only made it that much easier to fall asleep.

[- ? -]

The wind howls.

A man balances a knife on his knuckle and picks up a piece of smooth ceramic. Its vague oval shape could perhaps be interpreted as a mask of some sort. The grip of the weapon finds its way into his palm as he carves something into the forehead. The item is tossed unceremoniously onto the ashen ground.

A cold fog envelops the world.

The man picks up another piece. His hand hesitates just before the blade bites into the material. He looks over his shoulder to see her. The memory is vague, but it registers, so he nods. She smiles at him. He grunts, turns his focus back to the mask. After carving a mark once more and throwing the mask away, she calls out.

He turns his gaze toward a blood red sky and smiles.


	4. The More Things Change

"And you're sure it works?"

"Yeah! Ted and I worked out the kinks a while back. It's a little farther from that weird studio we always landed in, but nothing crazy."

"Alright."

It felt like a return to form, meeting before an excursion into the TV. Yosuke had commandeered an old Junes storage room some time after Souji had last returned to the city. While it looked like he had simply converted it into a game room, complete with old arcade cabinet and pool table, it was also where the team's equipment and items had been carefully stored away. Souji couldn't help but whistle at the sight of the impromptu war room. "We have our supplies, your old katana's over there...soon as Rise-chan and Naoto-kun get here, we can head in."

Souji squatted next to the duffel bag his things had been stored in, stopping short of retrieving his katana when his hand brushed against something. "Hm?"

He quickly pulled the sheathed katana out and set it down by his foot, reaching back into the bag and pulling out a small portrait medal. It was in remarkably good condition despite the time it had spent forgotten. _I remember when Nanako gave this to me._

"And~ you're coming with me."

Souji put the medal on and tucked it under his shirt, letting his hand linger over it as he took a deep breath. _Okay._

"Are you alright?"

He felt a gentle hand trace his shoulder, looking up to see Naoto smiling down at him. "I'm good...Hi, Naoto."

Her smile grew just a little wider as her eyes twinkled warmly. "Hello."

"Did Rise get her cake?"

"She did. We were late because she wanted to leave it with her grandma."

Naoto patted his back and moved past him, reaching under the pool table and pulling out a small briefcase. She set it down, threw open the locks, and there it was: the Black Hole revolver. "Remember what we had to do for that?"

"Mm. A grand struggle. What happened to the sword you found?"

"I left it with Daidara a while ago. Little too heavy for me."

"I imagine he's found some use for it."

"I hope so!"

Souji grinned and stood up, bringing his katana with him as he tied it to his belt. "U-uh...Sensei?"

"Senpai, you're gonna want to hear this."

The worry in Rise and Teddie's voices quickly grabbed the attention of all present. They all gathered around the TV as Rise looked up from her hands, the silhouette of Kouzeon that she had summoned fading away. "We have a problem."

[- The TV_Studio Backlot -]

A perk of defeating a goddess gone mad alongside her those she had worked with to end the world was that the world they had resided in was now devoid of the oppressive fog. Unfortunately, it was, at that moment, a small comfort; of a larger concern was the utter lack of land outside the usual backlot, save for one solitary path. Souji looked over the sight with a frown. "Yeah, this is...definitely a problem."

Teddie looked particularly disturbed by this sudden revelation, looking out over the void with an expression that betrayed the worry and panic welling up inside him. How had such change have possibly come about under his nose? "It wasn't like this…"

"It's not your fault."

Souji patted Teddie's back hard enough to throw him off balance slightly, shake him out of his trance. When the bear-boy looked up at him, he smiled gently. "Calm down. We'll get down to the bottom of this."

"...I hope so…"

Naoto watched Souji try to relax Teddie before she turned to Rise, keeping her tone soft so as not to distract the two. "Rise-chan, where does this path go?"

Kouzeon appeared in a more material form now that they were in the TV, standing tall behind Rise and holding a visor over the girl's eyes. "The geography of this place is as weird as ever...there's just the one path, but it leads to the town. It's different from the Midnight Channel days."

"The P-1 Incident, then…"

Naoto looked out over the land and bit her thumb in thought. _What does this say about the mastermind…?_

[- The TV_Central Shopping District -]

The district was in a sorry state. Granted, it was an imitation of reality, but that did not mean the sight was any less off-putting. Notably, the gas station was pristine, as if someone had intentionally preserved it. Souji walked over to Daidara Metalworks - at least, what was left of it. The store had been decimated, as if to quash any hope of finding new equipment in the TV. All other stores were sealed off with police tape that refused to budge from physical force, drawing parallels to Magatsu Inaba. There was nothing to otherwise be found in the southern part, so they moved on. "Someone really did a number on this place."

Rise had taken up a position near Souzai Daigaku, scanning the surroundings with Kouzeon and Teddie's help. "It's like this whole place is falling apart."

Souji took in the information with a small nod. "Yosuke, can you…?"

Yosuke would normally sound off as soon as he was called, but it would seem this was an exception. He was a bit further down the path, unmoving. Souji approached hastily with Naoto in tow, reaching out to grab his shoulder. "...Yosuke?"

It was by standing next to his friend that the answer he was looking for revealed itself: Yosuke had been staring at the Konishi Liquor Store for at least a minute by now. He seemed startled by the sound of his name, looking between Souji and the store a few times before forcing himself to take a breath. "Yeah! I'm, uh, I'm good. Just...not going anywhere near there, okay?"

"Sure. Mind keeping an eye out past the gas station?"

"You got it."

Yosuke adjusted his headphones and gripping his knives tighter as he moved past Rise, exchanging a look to make sure the other was okay. Offering this affirmation every so often was crucial to keeping focus.

"Souji."

Naoto's tone commanded his attention; he was at her side immediately. She raised her hand to point where she wanted him, keeping her other at the ready to draw her revolver if necessary. "Look there. By the shrine entrance."

Souji did so, moving closer but remaining ever careful. His hand found the handle of his katana, fingers tightening around it as anxiety began to chew at him. Upon closer inspection, the sight that greeted him only justified the feeling.

The corpse of a Shadow was resting by the entrance to the shrine, as if to desecrate whatever purity its real counterpart may have nurtured. A cursory glance at the shrine proper only sickened him - the once polished gold marred by destruction. Souji took a deep breath and knelt down, trying to see what could have caused such damage. He gingerly reached into the muck and fished out what was once the creature's mask."This mask…"

"It belonged to this one?"

Naoto had contented herself that Souji would not need long-range support, so she had walked over to join him. Both their free hands remained, however, on their weapons. "It was smiling. Was it hunting something?"

Souji frowned and turned the mask over in his hand. The slime that normally formed its body caked the back of the material, but it had long since dried up. Clearly, what had transpired had done so a long while ago. _It was destroyed before it could transform._

"What happened here…?"

Naoto patted his shoulder to urge him on but kept her focus on the surroundings. "Let's move on. We won't find any more answers from...from these."

Apparently, she was just as disconcerted by the sight of Tatsuhime Shrine. She took a moment to compose herself, gather her voice, then quietly asked, "What now?"

Souji's expression was grim as he drew his katana and pointed it down the road. "Follow the trail."

The cracked streets were painted over with a new, macabre splatter of black. Sharp shards of broken masks were scattered about, seemingly intent on making even walking a chore. All in all, a gruesome sight. There was no doubt in any of their minds that it would only get worse.

Elsewhere, a girl, presumably no older than any of them and faintly illuminated by the unnatural sky, sat on the edge of a rooftop. She hugged one of her knees, her other leg dangling lazily as she smiled down and watched the group proceed.

[- The TV_Yasogami High School -]

The interior of the school was largely as Souji remembered it, though the state some of the classrooms dredged up memories of the P-1 Incident. He skirted around a stack of ruined desks and headed up the stairs to the second floor. He could see the silhouettes of students walking by, though he was sure they were mirages, nothing more.

It was Sunday, after all.

"Rise, how are we doing?"

"No Shadows on this floor...what's that smell?"

The scattered masks and fallen Shadows had already been a topic of concern; the sight that greeted them as soon as the mantled the last stair was nothing short of horrifying. The walls had been messily painted over, just as in the shopping district; fragments of unformed Shadow masks strewn across the floor in varying degrees of ruin.

The enclosed quarters of the school only exacerbated an awful odor. Souji's breath caught in his throat as he covered his mouth and nose with his jacket sleeve. A quick glance about revealed his friends were following suit. Teddie, in particular, seemed to be struggling, eyes watering as he tried to maintain his focus. No doubt his supreme sense of smell was no more than a curse at this time. Souji bit his lip and quickly made a decision. "...Teddie, head down, keep the floor clear. Yosuke, go with him."

'Keeping the floor clear' as obviously an excuse, and quite the transparent one at that. Still, Souji was giving him an out, and that was something Teddie very much appreciated. "S-sorry, Sensei. This...this smell is making my skin crawl…"

"I get you. Go on, we'll meet up soon."

Souji met Yosuke's eyes and nodded. "You be careful, got it?"

"Likewise. See you in a few."

The two headed down, leaving Souji, Naoto, and Rise to contemplate their next move. "Nothing on the third floor either, Senpai. The roof, though...I'm drawing a blank, but it feels almost...artificial. Like something's trying to _tell_ me nothing's up there."

The trio exchanged a look; surely whatever was waiting for them did not have the best of intentions. "Okay...well, now that we know that, it'd probably do more harm to keep ourselves in the dark."

"We'll head up, then?"

"Yeah. Rise."

"Mhm. I'll head down, keep an eye on you two. Communication will be open, so keep that in mind."

"Will you be alright?"

Her response as near instantaneous, telling of the trust she had in her comrades. "Yosuke-senpai and Teddie will be there, so yeah. I can fight too!"

Rise forced a grin flexed one of her slender arms, terrifying none who were present. Souji smiled and nodded curtly. "Thanks."

Rise made to head downstairs, but paused mid-step to shoot them both a meaningful look. "Bail if it gets bad. Okay?"

"Okay."

"We will, Rise-chan."

"Good. Be careful, both of you."

With that, Rise summoned Kouzeon's visor and went to join the rest of the squad. When he was reasonably confident she was out of earshot, he asked Naoto, "Since when could she do that?"

"She was very insistent on Fuuka-san teaching her any tricks she could offer."

Souji managed a small smile at that, despite the dour atmosphere. "Is that so. Well, okay then."

" _I can hear you, Senpai. Link's open, remember?"_

" _You're losing your edge, partner."_

Closing communication, even for a moment, was a simple task, like turning off a light switch. This fact simply made Naoto smile as Souji scratched the back of his head. "...Let's head up."

"After you."

With a shared look, Souji and Naoto rushed up the stairs to the roof and, in their haste to do so, completely ignored the third floor. A shame; had they lingered for even a moment, they would have noticed the figure watching them go with a smile.

"Ugh…"

The pungent stench that had invaded the school liberally permeated the rooftop - it was only a small consolation that fresh air was attempting to wash it away. The source of the misery was easy enough to see. A countless number of Shadows decorated the cold stone, the black ichor their corpses leaked serving as a testament to how they were not given time to properly form.

Amidst the massacre stood a man, gazing up at the sky. If there were any doubts that he was the perpetrator, the slime dripping from his hands and staining his faded suit would dissuade them. He slowly ran his fingers through his ashen grey hair, slicking it back and staining it black with the remains of the fallen. When he finally turned his head to face them, lifeless yellow eyes glowed faintly, a stark contrast to his pale complexion.

"...You showed up."


	5. The Stray Dog Barks

**So I went to my first Comic-Con and Johnny Yong Bosch happened to be there. So, uh...that was a shock. Got his autograph and may have clammed up a bit, but it was cool. He was cool.**

 **I've taken the liberty of changing the cover image to my awful art.**

 **Without further ado...**

* * *

There was a noticeable slump to the man's shoulders as he turned to face them, his dull eyes never leaving Souji's. The remains of the decimated Shadows withered before his feet as he took one, two shambling steps toward them. Souji's hand darted to his katana, while Naoto's revolver was already raised. "Stop."

"...Sure."

The man stopped in his tracks, smiling and raising his hands placatingly. The dark circles under his eyes betrayed any cheer he tried to offer. "Whatever you say, Raijin."

Souji raised an eyebrow, sharing a quick, confused glance with Naoto. Whether or not the man noticed or cared, he did not deign to say. "Aah, how could I forget? I should go first."

He slicked his hair back once more, patted down his waistcoat. Whether it was originally blue or black was indiscernible at this point. His attempts to make himself presentable did not particularly strike home. After all, the locale, littered as it was with the fallen, and the black stains in his hair were not exactly flattering. "You can call me Dao."

He put a hand to his chest and bowed lightly. It was oddly respectful, given the poise he had seemed to assume for just that moment. "In the grand scheme of things, I'm probably just a footnote. I always figured myself as a behind-the-scenes guy, anyway."

 _"...What?"_

"Why are you here, then?"

"Why? I'm here for _you_."

The Shadows' remains decayed underfoot as he took a single, heavy step towards the two. His smile only grew when Naoto met the move with her own shift forward. Dao ignored her and continued to stare at Souji, remarking, "Dispersed the fog, solved a mystery, slew a goddess with the power of ' _friendship_ '."

Dao raised his hands and wiggled his fingers mockingly at the last word. The venom in his voice was making it difficult to tell whether Dao genuinely had any admiration for their feats. Souji was still unsure of the danger Dao presented and tried to keep the conversation going. "...It wasn't just me."

"Oh, I know. Your _friends_. Bonds. Filling that emptiness inside with those you would cherish forever. How heroic."

" _...Senpai, I'm getting a bad feeling from this guy…"_

It was becoming increasingly clear that some long-suffering and deep-seated hatred was starting to surface. His smile grew wider, muscles tensed as he let out a dry laugh. "...I'm going to fight you now."

Souji drew his katana, unable to suppress the chill in his spine any longer. The madman was clearly out for blood, no matter what formality he buried it under. "Slash me, shoot me, break my bones. Show me your strength. The years you've been gone have dulled your blade. I want to kick you back into shape…"

Dao chuckled to himself and spread his arms wide. His tone remained calm, unnervingly casual as he chirped, "And if it involves beating you within an inch of your life, so be it. I _will_ make you stronger."

" _...Whoa. Whoa, whoa wait, what the - Guys, get out of there - now! This guy is-"_

"Don't be so impatient."

Dao raised his hand to the sky and closed his fist. A dense cloud of fog converged over the rooftop, swirling about and painting the sky black. Rise's voice was drowned out, drained away as the world outside of where they were standing melted away into a lifeless void. The utter silence that fell was deafening - then Dao spoke again, a dissonant expression on his face. "There's no need to rush."

His demeanor had changed dramatically. His back straightened, hands closed into fists; it was if _purpose_ had been breathed into him. His eyes had been closed in concentration, but, upon opening them once more, Souji silently wished he hadn't. "Let's begin with a little stress test."

The gold in his eyes had filled his sclera instead, leaving his pupils a stark white. The dark marks under his eyes only stood out more as any semblance of a calm smile twisted into a malevolent grin. "Do your best. I want to learn as much as I can."

In an instant, the fog swept all sight and sound of him away, as if the man was never there to begin with.

Of course, this was not true. "Souji!"

It was telling of the bond between the two that when she gave the warning, he ducked immediately; the second it would have taken to question her would have likely cost him the battle, or his life. Dao grinned as he leaned back from the path of Naoto's bullet. "You're not half bad."

His body formed where Souji had once been standing. Souji stood in front of Naoto once more, taking care to give her room to maneuver and aim as needed. "What are you…?"

"You make it sound like I'm not human!"

Dao appeared before him once more in but an instant, allowing him to bear witness to a manic expression that shattered any semblance of sanity. "Well, you'd be right."

He aimed a quick jab at Souji and forced Naoto's arm down as she fired a shot, then blew them both back with a blast of wind. Souji transferred the momentum into a backwards roll and rushed forward once more. "Come."

Naoto quietly called Yamato Sumeragi, intent on setting Megido traps while Dao was distracted with Souji - his head swerved towards her, transfixing her with those unnatural eyes. He smirked and reached behind his back as her Persona drew her saber. "Ah...Yamato Sumeragi."

Dao produced a knife from behind his back and sent it hurtling at the still-forming being. The sound of glass breaking was interrupted by Yamato Sumeragi reeling back in agony as the blade bit clean into her mask. Naoto, by extension, mirrored the move with a scream of pain, holding her head in her hands as her back hit the wall. "And there it goes."

"Naoto!"

Dao grinned and yanked Souji's arm, sending him stumbling back with a knee to the stomach. "Don't get distracted."

The damage had already been done. Between failing to find a hole in Dao's form and trying to keep calm after seeing Naoto hurt, Souji was rapidly losing the mental fortitude to fight properly. The fog grew agitated, raging around the rooftop as if they were in the eye of a storm. It only served to distract Souji more. He thrust his katana forth, only for Dao to block it with his foot and force the tip of the blade into the ground. "Damn, I'm being unfair, aren't I? You've been out of the game. Meanwhile…"

A wild grin crossed his face as he punched the ground, sending tremors through the rooftop and blasting a hole where there was once impassive stone. His odd eyes gleamed happily as he turned his gaze to Souji once more. "I've been waiting for this."

The air shattered at the sound of a gun firing; Dao's head was thrown to the side. He reached up to touch the side of his head and turn his glare to the entrance to the roof. Naoto, slumped against the wall and barely conscious, slowly lowered her gun, smoke flowing from the barrel. Dao shook his head rapidly and turned a grin towards her. "That all you got?"

"...No."

Naoto managed a pained smile and pulled back the hammer of her revolver. Where the bullet had impacted blossomed into a large reticle before exploding in a blast of white light. Souji quickly raised his arm to cover his eyes as Dao was thrown back, landing hard in a puddle of black ichor. "That is."

She blinked hard and pressed the heel of her palm against her forehead to push the stars out of her eyes, sinking to her knees with a groan. "Where is he?"

"..."

"Hahahaha! You've got moxie, Detective!"

Dao had risen in the scant moment of respite they had, smiling as if he hadn't taken any damage. There was a deep cut where the glyph had exploded, a trail of black blood running down his face. He chuckled lightly and clapped his hands once, twice, three times. "If you can't damage me with expletives, you can do it with explosives...Rise."

At Dao's call, the slime that had once belonged to countless Shadows swirled about, merging into a single, nebulous mass. "Make sure she doesn't do that again."

The shape launched itself at Naoto as soon as he spoke, pinning her arms to the wall and forcing her gun out of her hand. Her already weakened state only made it more difficult to move, much less summon her Persona again. "I said don't get _distracted_!"

Dao darted forward and sent his fist crashing into Souji's chest. The raw force drilled through him, shattering his poise and sending him flying back with a pained bark. "Bring it on! Show me more! I want to see the power that laid the gods low!"

"...Ha...Fine."

"What?"

Dao looked over to see that Souji had risen, katana in a loose grip as he breathlessly forced himself to his feet. "Ah."

He grinned and beckoned Souji over as the teen rushed him with newfound vigor. "Yeah, let's play this game!"

Dao produced another knife from behind his back and parried Souji's blow. The blades clashed countless times, with the desperation afforded by stress and adrenaline ending in a lock that sent sparks flying. Souji found himself struggling to keep his blade steady, whereas Dao was simply watching him with a small smirk. "Why are you so obsessed with making _others_ stronger? What's your endgame?!"

"Don't sound so offended. I don't _need_ an endgame. I've just accepted my place in this Catherine wheel we call life."

He grinned and punched Souji in the face, snickering as the teen stumbled back. "Ever wonder why people never try that?"

Souji ducked a lazy swing. He was running out of room to retreat with Dao's relentless advance. With his back against the wall, he raised his hand and intoned, "Persona-"

A card formed, glowing bright with soul - then shattered, sending spectral shards floating about. Even Dao seemed surprised by what he was seeing, eyes widening briefly before he managed a smirk. "Having a little crisis, are we?"

To his shock, Souji smiled grimly. "Not a chance."

He grabbed a handful of the scattered shards and threw them in Dao's face. The fragments, however broken, were still magical in nature, and thus shone brightly. Dao's hand flew up to block the glass, leaving his gut open for Souji to land a hard kick that sent him staggering back. The gold dominating Dao's eyes flickered as he blinked and tried to right his vision, leaving Souji to continue his assault. Every strike that forced Dao back was fueled by a fury finally unleashed.

 _This is it!_

Souji forced Dao off-balance by stepping even closer, dragging his katana low along the ground before swiping it upwards in a lightning-fast slash. Just before the blade could slice his face, Dao grinned, leaning back unnaturally and allowing the attack to cut the air. "...Impressive."

Before Souji could react, Dao kneed him in the gut and swung his fist, burying it in the same spot with a heavy _thud_. He fell to the floor like a puppet with its strings cut, clutching his hip as a gasp of pain tore out of his throat. Dao simply dusted off his knuckles and snorted. "I think we've done some good work today."

The winds began to howl even louder, as if in protest of Souji's utter defeat. Dao kicked his hand to the side when he tried to raise it, leaning down to seize his shirt collar and lift him bodily. The sound of his shirt tearing was a prelude to Dao's words. "I'm disappointed, Raijin...you are _incomplete_. Weaker than your friends, even! As you are now, you may as well be dead."

Souji struggled as best as he could with what strength he had left, feebly clawing at Dao's arm to no effect. Dao stared at him and blinked owlishly, the color returning from his sclera to his pupils. After a moment, he smirked. "Aah, I see. This is really getting under your skin, isn't it?"

Dao's grip tightened as Souji's brow furrowed in anger. "What did you say?"

"It must be frustrating! To suffer such a crushing defeat despite wanting to win _so_ badly."

He cackled, a sound that was most unwelcome given what was happening. Souji tried once more to fight what felt like an unbreakable grip, only stopping when Dao's dagger suddenly bit into his shoulder. Blood slowly coated the blade as Dao smiled serenely. "Remember all of this. The pain, the fear, the frustration...use it to grow."

"Why are you doing this…?"

The weapon disappeared before their eyes, leaving Souji's shoulder free to bleed further. "...Why indeed. Hurry up and try harder."

With a cavalier twist of his hand, Dao let go, leaving Souji to plummet into the fog with a shout of dismay. "See you soon."


End file.
